Terms and Devices – List #1



Terms and Devices – List #1

English 12

Mrs. Woodliffe

1. Aside – when an actor onstage speaks directly to the audience without the other

actors onstage able to hear what is said; a short remark or speech

intended for the audience, but supposed to be unheard by the other

characters

2. Audience – the people for whom a piece of literature is written

3. Denouement – the resolution of a story plot; the solution or the ending

4. Drama – the art of theater; plays, playmaking, and the whole body of literature

of and for the stage, radio, or television

5. Dramatic Irony – a situation where a reader or the audience becomes aware of

something that a character in the story or play does not know

6. Dynamic Character – a literary or dramatic character who undergoes an

important inner change; one who changes personality or

attitude; one who grows more mature or learns a valuable

lesson

7. Character Foil – a character who serves as a contrast or opposite to another

character; used to make the qualities of another person more

obvious

8. Comedy – a story or play that ends happily; a light and humorous work

9. Comic Relief – humorous content in a dramatic or literary work intended to offset

more serious episodes or events.

10. Couplet – two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

11. Genre – a style or category within a literary form, such as poetry, drama, or

novels

12. Hero – a person who is admired for his or her courage, outstanding achievements,

or outstanding qualities

13. Monologue – a convention for expressing characters’ minds; a kind of soliloquy;

a long, unbroken speech given by an actor who is in the presence of

other actors onstage and it is part of his or her conversations with the others

14. Pathos – a quality in something experienced or understood in literature that

evokes pity, deep emotion, passion, sorrow, or compassion

15. Prologue – the introduction to a story or play

16. Skepticism – doubt; uncertainty in belief or knowledge

17. Soliloquy – a convention for expressing characters’ minds; an extended speech

given by an actor who is thinking aloud onstage; usually he or she is

alone or unrecognized by others; purpose is to give the audience the

character’s innermost thoughts, intentions, motives and mental state;

similar to an aside

18. Tragedy – a story or play about human suffering that results in an unhappy

ending; the downfall or destruction of a noble or outstanding character;

serious and disastrous ending

19. Tragic Hero – a protagonist of great importance whom, through personal choice

and circumstance, is caught up in events that lead to disaster

20. Tragic Flaw – a character’s fatal flaw; a personality failure that causes his or her

downfall

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